Swedish company eyes Spanish digital pay TV

A Swedish company could become the majority owner of Spain's third digital pay TV platform, Quiero TV, if rumored negotiations end in a deal. Telecoms firm Auna (Retevision) is understood to be in talks to sell its 49% stake in Quiero, Europe's second-ever digital terrestrial TV platform, to Swedish global savings company Skandia.

If the sale is completed, Skandia's stake in Quiero would actually rise above 50% due to an additional indirect participation it has through Barcelona-based content producer/packager Media Park. Skandia owns an 11.22% interest in Media Park, which in turn holds 15% of Quiero. As a result, the Auna-Skandia transaction coud run against of Spain's private TV law, which precludes a single company from owning more than 50% of a broadcaster.

Quiero's shareholders currently include Auna (49%), Sofisclav 9 (15%), Media Park (15%) and Carlton Media (7.5%). The platform expects to break even in 2004, and will celebrate its first anniversary on May 4.

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